71:. To deal with flankers and split ends, contain theories such as the "five spoke" contain were developed, where the defensive ends became much like outside linebackers and had pass defense responsibilities. Homer Smith, in his history of 8 man lines, shows formations starting with the 1940s style 6-2, changing into the wide tackle six, and eventually, six man lines becoming 4 man lines as the defensive ends were relabeled outside linebackers. This change is similar to the defensive ends of the
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responsibilities. The Will position will generally play on the weak side. However, the Will can be moved to just about anywhere to better suit the defensive call or adjustment. Depending on the call and the personnel in place, Will’s job could be purely to get after the quarterback, play at linebacker depth, or to drop into coverage.
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several yards off the ball. The safety in the 4–4 defense should be one of the team’s best athletes. He needs to be fast enough to play in coverage, diagnose plays well, and hit like a linebacker. The safety will almost always be assigned to the deep middle of the field, but can also be blitzed in various packages.
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Originally seen as a passing defense against the spread, modern versions of the 4-4 are attacking defenses stocked with multiple blitz packages that can easily be concealed and altered. The modern defense is based on speed, athleticism and intelligence rather than on size and strength. Versatility is
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The other form of a 4-4 is seen in teams that use a 4-3 base set along with an overshifted secondary. Instead of two cornerbacks and two safeties, these teams use two cornerbacks, one free safety, and one monster or rover back. This monster is a hybrid, who can play linebacker techniques when needed
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The nature of the defense requires a great deal of athleticism from these positions. Roman describes the Sam as the most difficult linebacking position to fill in his defense, and describes the Will as a strong safety type. In the defenses of
Virginia Tech, Sam is compared to a cornerback, and Will
96:
Requirements for defensive ends are highly dependent on the version of the defense being played. Speed and height are often valued, and defensive ends in these systems are often converted linebackers. Though alignment is highly dependent on the front, weak side ends are often outside the offensive
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Requirements for defensive tackles are highly dependent on the version of the defense being played. For example, the 4-4 of Joe Roman requires quickness, size, and a player no taller than 6' 4". In the 4-4 Split of Roman, the defensive tackles line up heads up on the offensive guard, or perhaps on
127:
The cornerbacks are often on islands in man coverage or in a deep zone, and they need to possess exceptional speed and change of direction skills. They also need to be intelligent when diagnosing the play and when in zone coverage, must be able to play the ball. The corners will generally line up
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As there are two inside linebackers, there are also two outside linebackers. These outside backers can be described generically as the Sam and Will positions. The Sam linebacker typically sticks to the strong side, often outside the strong side defensive end, and has substantial pass coverage
43:
key because players may have to change roles from one play to the next. A top priority of the 4–4 defense is stopping the run by keeping eight men close to the line of scrimmage. This also makes it difficult for the offense to identify where the pressure comes from when the defense blitzes.
97:
tackle, and strong side ends outside the shoulder of the tight end. In the 'G front' of
Virginia Tech, the Sam linebacker and the end switch positions, with the end assuming a position just inside the shoulder of the tight end, and the Sam linebacker staying wide of the end, along the line.
105:
There are two inside linebackers in the 4–4 scheme sometimes known as the Mike and Buck linebackers. Where and how they play, and personnel types preferred, are highly scheme dependent. At least one of these linebackers assumes substantial pass coverage responsibilities.
88:
their outside shoulder. In the 'G front' of Frank Beamer's teams, the weak side tackle lines up on the inside shoulder of the offensive guard, and the strong side tackle lines up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard.
63:
of the time into short zones, and later as a prepared defense for use against the spread offenses of the time. In the 1950s, the six man line was no longer seen in the pros as a base defense, and the
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Four man fronts are seen in the 1940s as ad hoc ways to deal with the "Bears" T, as the result of two linemen dropping off from the
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serving as defensive coordinator under both. Another eight man front with four down linemen (most of the time) were
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or pass protection when needed. An example of this approach is seen in the Eagle defense of
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evolved to handle the interior attack of the Power T, and the outside threats of the
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to a free safety, in terms of the personnel types preferred for this role.
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There are teams that line up in a 4–4 as a base. An example are the
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used a base 4–4 while serving as the defensive coordinator for the
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Foster, Bud, Cavanaugh, Jim, West, Lou and Wiles, Charlie
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526:
The
Complete Guide to Installing the 44 Split Defense
194:, who was a defensive coordinator at Penn State.
31:is a defensive alignment consisting of four down
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539:, American Football Coaches Association, 2000.
507:, American Football College Association, 1999.
197:While serving as the defensive coordinator for
75:being relabeled the outside linebackers of the
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489:, American Football Coaches Association, 2000
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544:Football Coach's Complete Offensive Playbook
533:Eliminating Options With the Junkyard Eight
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567:
50:4-4 front, Virginia Tech defense, G front.
476:Armsparger's Coaching Defensive Football
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227:
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185:4–3 monster alignments and other hybrids
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18:
514:, University of Nebraska Press, 2006.
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279:
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546:, Parker Publishing, 1987, Chapter 1.
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173:when he was the Eagles' head coach.
169:. Russell later took this defense to
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16:American football defensive formation
276:
82:
551:Football's Eagle and Stack Defenses
450:
414:McMillan, Ken (September 3, 2000).
235:, Prentice-Hall, 1950, pp. 272-274.
13:
517:Jones, Gomer, and Wilkinson, Bud,
481:Beamer, Frank and Clark, Michael,
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233:Secrets of the "Split T" Formation
14:
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505:Proceedings, 76th AFCA Convention
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389:Inside the Virginia Tech Defense
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306:Jones and Wilkinson, Chapter 6.
501:Virginia Tech's Attack Defense
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1:
537:Defensive Football Strategies
487:Defensive Football Strategies
216:
1295:American football formations
416:"Defense goes on the attack"
122:
7:
441:Vanderlinden, Chapters 3-6.
378:Beamer and Clark, pp. 80-82
161:'s Junkyard Dog defense at
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590:American football strategy
395:, retrieved June 28, 2013.
54:
27:In American football, the
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519:Modern Defensive Football
553:, Human Kinetics, 2008.
528:, Coaches Choice, 1999.
478:, St Lucie Press, 1999.
264:Johnston, p 126, p. 136.
131:
521:, Prentice-Hall, 1957.
496:, Prentice-Hall, 1947.
483:Pressuring Without Risk
453:"2003 College Preview"
391:. September 28, 2011.
51:
24:
494:Championship Football
404:Russell, pp. 133-141.
393:Shakin' the Southland
213:/4–4 hybrid defense.
49:
22:
1256:Resting the starters
1150:Defensive formations
1047:Offensive formations
510:Johnston, James W.,
455:. nationalchamps.net
181:in the early 2000s.
549:Vanderlinden, Ron,
421:Times Herald-Record
110:Outside linebackers
957:Defensive strategy
531:Russell, Erskine,
474:Arnsparger, Bill,
297:Arnsparger, p. 56.
179:Army Black Knights
137:4–4 base alignment
101:Inside linebackers
52:
25:
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898:Statue of Liberty
285:Smith, Chapter 1.
83:Defensive tackles
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1023:Icing the kicker
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939:Clock management
893:Hook and lateral
828:Play-action pass
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171:Georgia Southern
23:Base 4–4 defense
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903:Halfback option
858:Fake field goal
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675:Run-pass option
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997:Bump and run
883:Fumblerooski
878:Flea flicker
655:Buck-lateral
614:Play calling
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524:Roman, Joe,
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470:Bibliography
457:. Retrieved
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147:Frank Beamer
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1115:Pistol-Flex
1075:Single-wing
888:Hidden ball
838:Double pass
820:Trick plays
800:Stop-and-go
645:Air Coryell
609:Two-platoon
604:One-platoon
37:linebackers
29:4–4 defense
1130:Jump shift
1080:Short punt
971:Man-to-man
908:Hard count
868:Fake spike
843:End-around
707:West Coast
697:Smashmouth
623:Offensive
459:2009-02-10
217:References
199:Texas Tech
155:Bud Foster
1168:Miami 4–3
990:Coverages
863:Fake punt
687:Pro-style
427:March 18,
145:teams of
123:Secondary
35:and four
1289:Category
1274:Category
1105:Flexbone
1100:Wishbone
735:Crossing
665:Multiple
660:Hurry-up
650:Air raid
625:strategy
203:Kentucky
1235:Prevent
1220:7–1–2–1
1158:2-level
1125:Wildcat
1090:Pro set
1085:Shotgun
1060:Split-T
981:Tampa 2
913:Pyramid
853:Spinner
848:Reverse
597:Systems
163:Georgia
153:, with
69:Split T
55:History
33:linemen
1230:Nickel
1110:Pistol
1002:Double
964:Scheme
795:Sluggo
780:Screen
730:Corner
717:Routes
702:Spread
670:Option
633:Scheme
209:ran a
165:under
1249:Other
1215:7–2–2
1185:3–3–5
1120:Trips
1028:Stunt
1016:Other
932:Other
810:Wheel
805:Swing
790:Slant
725:Chair
211:4–2–5
132:Usage
1225:Dime
1007:Zone
976:Zone
833:Draw
785:Seam
775:Post
765:Jerk
750:Flat
745:Drag
740:Curl
640:A-11
429:2024
387:DrB
201:and
149:and
1210:6–2
1205:5–3
1200:5–2
1190:4–4
1180:3–4
1163:4–3
1033:Spy
770:Out
760:Hot
755:Fly
535:in
503:in
485:in
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73:5-2
61:6-2
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